


One man in his time plays many parts

by Jadzia_Bear



Category: American Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Star Trek RPF, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M, qcumber, quintobatch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-16
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-26 18:17:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/968781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadzia_Bear/pseuds/Jadzia_Bear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short ficlets about Benedict Cumberbatch and Zachary Quinto, both OTP and broTP</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You guys like Italian?

**Author's Note:**

> The challenge with shipping such obscure ships is that there's barely any fic, which leads to the disastrous outcome of me writing my own. Apologies to Benedict, Zachary and everyone everywhere for what follows! 
> 
> The title of the work is from the All The World's A Stage monologue.

“Cut!” shouted JJ. “Okay, that’ll do for today, guys,” he said, calling an end to the fight scene and waving Benedict and Zach down from the space barge set.

Benedict’s arms dropped to his sides. He pulled in a deep breath and sighed out Khan’s violent fury, smiling a smile he didn’t quite feel just to help chase away the last of the ruthless tyrant.

Zach, not Spock, reciprocated with a smile of relief from where he lay on the floor. He flopped onto his back and let out a groan. “That was brutal,” he said, referring to the four hours they’d just spent almost, but not quite, beating the ever-living crap out of each other. This time Benedict’s smile was more genuine. He extended a hand and pulled Zach to his feet.

“Awesome work, guys,” said JJ as they climbed down off the set. “You both looked great up there today.”

They nodded their acknowledgement of the compliment, too exhausted to really say much in response, and made their way back towards Wardrobe to change out of their costumes. Zach was limping ever so slightly after putting a foot wrong and lightly rolling his ankle earlier in the day. Benedict had no objections to taking it slow, his mildly hamstring protesting with every step.

He rubbed absently at a spot on his jaw where Zach’s fake punch had accidentally become a real one, then quickly dropped his hand when he realised what he was doing. He didn’t want his new friend to feel bad about what had been a simple miscalculation.

For the most part, the whole scene was as much a dance as it was a fight, purely because he and Zach worked together so well, but glaring daggers at each other for hours on end had left his nerves a little frayed. He felt like he wanted to give Zach a hug or have a pint with him or something, just to wash away the unpleasant aftertaste of all that violence and aggression. Illogical, Spock would say, Ben thought with amusement. They were both just doing the job they were paid to do, but still.

“What are you doing for the rest of the afternoon?” Benedict asked.

“Curling into a ball and dying?” said Zach, experimentally rotating his shoulder.

“Some relaxation is definitely in order,” Benedict agreed. “Which original Star Trek movie did you say was the fun one? Star Trek IV, was it?” he asked, running his hand through his long black hair extensions and pushing them out of his eyes, now that he no longer had giant fans blasting him from all directions.

“The one with the whales? Oh my god, you really are a genetically-engineered genius, that's _perfect,”_ said Zach. “That's exactly what I'm in the mood for. I have the DVD at my place, you want to come over and watch it?”

Well, that was easier than he’d expected. “Yeah, sure, if that’s, you know,” said Benedict articulately.

oOo

“So this is the movie where Kirk and Spock do that ‘I love Italian, and so do you,’ bit that you and Chris were re-enacting the other day?” said Ben, as he took a seat on Zach’s couch.

Zach chuckled as he passed Ben a beer and sat down beside him. “Yeah. It’s way funnier when you see it in context, I promise,” he said, hitting play on the remote.

The movie was funny and irreverent and all the things Zach had promised it would be. And sure, some of the special effects were terrible—it was the 80s, after all—but in a charming kind of way.

They were about three quarters of the way through when Benedict felt the warm weight of Zach’s head on his shoulder. His heart snapped once against his ribs before settling back into a regular, if elevated, rhythm.

His brain took off in what seemed to be an attempt to keep up with his racing pulse. Was this merely a platonic gesture? Was this a level of familiarity Zach felt comfortable with after all those days and weeks of stunt rehearsals, spending so many hours in each other’s personal space, in physical contact with each other?

Or was it a come-on? Which would be disastrous. Would it? _Why_ would it? _Pull yourself together Benedict, you’re starting to sound like Holmes._

He hazarded a sideways glance.

Zach was fast asleep, dark lashes on his cheeks, breathing slow and steady. His neck looked to be at a slightly uncomfortable angle, confirming Benedict’s suspicion that he’d merely slumped against him in his sleep.

Benedict took a slow, careful breath (so as not to dislodge Zach’s heavy head) and told himself to calm the fuck down. He removed the empty beer bottle from Zach’s slackened grip and went back to watching the film.

Once the final credits had rolled, he supposed he’d better wake Zach up. Not that he really wanted to. It was rather nice having Zach’s warm weight pressed against his side, and his hair smelled like apples.

He was still procrastinating when some pop song he didn’t recognise began to blare from Zach’s pocket. After a moment, Zach roused with a sniff and a few rapid blinks.

“Did I fall asleep on you? Sorry, dude,” Zach said as he shifted and pulled the phone out of his pocket.

“It’s fine,” said Benedict, though Zach’s attention was now on the screen of his phone, which was lit up with the name ‘Zoe Saldana’. Zach tapped the screen a couple of times and began to speak.

“Hey lady, you’re on speaker. I’m just hanging with Benedict–”

“Hey Benedict!” came Zoe’s tinny but enthusiastic greeting.

“Helloo,” said Benedict with a little wave, not really caring or minding that she couldn’t see it.

“What’s up?” Zach asked her.

“Simon and Chris and I are heading out to dinner if you want to come,” said Zoe. “You guys like Italian?”

Ben quirked his mouth at Zach. He wasn’t going to miss an opening like that. “I love Italian. And so do you.”

“Yes,” confirmed Zach, in perfect Spock-face, before breaking into a grin.


	2. Zachary Quinto's instagram will be the death of me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fictional text conversation between Benedict and Zachary, as inspired by one of Zach's instagram photos.

 

ZQ: didn’t realise you were so possessive

BC: Sorry?

ZQ: last night

BC: Still not following

ZQ: i’m referring to the epic love bite you marked me with, doofus

BC: Oh god, did I?!? No I didn’t, you’re having me on. I don’t remember doing that.

ZQ: _...sending photo..._

BC: Oh my god, I’m a fucking monster! Sorry darling *kisses*

ZQ: i’m not nearly as worried about that as I am by the idea that sex with me is so forgettable :P

BC: It’s anything but, my love

ZQ: then get your ass back from Toronto so we can have more of it xxoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written while Benedict was attending the Toronto International Film Festival. The injury pictured was actually sustained while Zach was working on the theatre production The Glass Menagerie, but when I saw it, my mind went in another (very silly) direction...


	3. Neutron Cream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The neutron cream prank that Simon Pegg played on the other cast members is now legendary, it's even a DVD extra. Just google 'neutron cream' if you haven't heard the story.

Benedict heard a knock on the door of his trailer just before Zach let himself in. It didn’t take another actor to tell that Zach was trying to mask his mirth with a look of contrition and failing miserably.

“You of all people could have told me about the bloody Neutron cream,” Ben said with a sheepish smile.

“Oh baby, I’m sorry,” Zach said, pulling Ben into a hug, the twitch of a grin only detracting slightly from his apology. “I would have, but Chris and Simon made me promise.”

"I can’t believe I signed that bloody piece of paper before I even read it! ‘Silly bastard’ indeed," Ben said, dropping his forehead onto Zach’s shoulder and chuckling at himself. Zach rubbed his palms soothingly up and down the planes of Ben’s back. Ben’s head jerked up. “Oh no, this is going to end up on the fucking DVD extras, isn’t it?” he said woefully.

"Probably," Zach said, "but we’re all going to look like idiots, so don’t worry about it."

“Mmph,” Ben conceded.

"Look, I have to get back on set, but I’ll make it up to you tonight, okay?" Zach said, pressing himself against Ben from thigh to chest and giving him a kiss just this side of dirty to make sure there was no mistake about what ‘make it up to you’ meant.

Before Ben could catch his breath, Zach took his hand and tugged him towards the door. “Come on,” he said. “We’re about to get Karl and John really good. We’ve got these cue cards made up and everything, it’s gonna be awesome!”


End file.
